Thursday, September 15, 2011

HOME ECONOMICS 101

Learning to sew was our aim this week. We were invited to a Renaissance wedding next week, and the girls needed dresses to wear. Trina Fielding volunteered to teach Key Lime Pie and Kotten Kandy how to sew costumes for the event. It took two days... but I think the dresses turned out AWESOME!

Here are a few things we have learned while sewing:

Math is important with EVERYTHING. We learned to take measurements. And we learned to use those measurements while cutting out material. The measurements also came in handy when putting the pieces together.

We learned vocabulary -- Backstitch is used at the beginning and end of a machine sewn stitch to reinforce and anchor the stitch. Bobbin is the piece of your sewing machine that holds your bottom thread. Gathering allows a long piece of fabric to fit with a shorter piece of fabric. Grain is the direction of the fabric that runs parallel with the selvage edge. Lining is used to finish the inside of the garment. The pressure foot is the piece of the sewing machine that holds your fabric in place. The selvage edge is the part of the fabric that does not fray due to the manufacturers finish. Learning new words and understanding them is essential to sewing.

We learned to read directions and follow patterns. Sounds easier than it is.

The skill of sewing was also something that needed to be learned. And it is a fun talent that the girls would like to learn even better....

Key Lime Pie loved learning to sew but did not like having to turn things right side out again after sewing. Kotten Kandy was a perfectionist throughout the process. She expecially liked the ironing and making her bobbin. Both girls thought that sewing the gathered skirt to the top of the dress was the hardest part.

Don't they look pretty? We haven't finished the backs yet. They need to be laced... Kotten Kandy is in green. Key Lime Pie is in blue. We had a great week of home economics 101!!!! Mom is jealous that she can't sew and her daughters can! But she's also pleased in the results and the skills they are learning....

2 comments:

Hey, my granddaughters look pretty in their new dresses! Are they finished now and waiting for the wedding - to be worn? I especially like the peasant blouses. (But mostly like the girls in them.) Mom, you are doing good things...Love you all, Mom/Mil